About Electric Ovens

An electric oven includes the oven for baking or roasting and often also has a stove or range on top for cooking using pots and pans. Until the 1890s, all ovens were powered by wood, coal or gas. When visitors saw the new electric oven at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893, they were not too impressed. First, few people knew about this new technology called electricity. Second, very few homes across the United States even had electric wires in their homes. it took to the early 1930s before the electric stove became "hot" and more popular than the gas oven.

First Stoves

The electric stove at the Chicago World's Fair was only one of the first of its kind at the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. It is believed that the first electric stove was installed in a hotel in Switzerland in 1889. The first electric stove for cooking meals in American homes was produced by Carpenter Electric Heating Manufacturing company in 1891. All of the electric stoves until this time were either black or brown with oven doors made from white enamel. In 1922, a customer asked Hotpoint for an all-white porcelain stove, and the white stove was born.

Different Models

Now, almost a century later, the combination electric stove and oven comes in many different colors, models and prices with a variety of features, such as a self-cleaning mode, variable broil settings, automatic interior lighting and auto-shutoff. Clocks, easy-glide racks, timers, and digital controls are also becoming popular. The ovens fit the many different kitchen designs, cooking styles and budgets of the 21st century consumer.

Oven Location

The first electric ovens were plugged directly into the wall. Today, they are usually built into a kitchen cabinet or under a counter with another electric oven or microwave to save space or provide additional oven capacity in the room. The stove or cooktop is usually above the oven. Kitchens are laid out in a number of ways according to different cooking styles and kitchen designs.

Oven Size

The width of the electric oven depends on the size of the kitchen. The most common size is 30 inches wide. Others come in 24, 27 and 36 inches in width. The largest oven, the 36-inch model, needs a fairly large kitchen. These ovens are normally put in new homes or renovated kitchens.

Convection ovens

Many people buy convection ovens, which add a fan and, at times, an extra electric element. The fan makes the hot air circulate better and allows for more even baking, as well as the opportunity to cook several racks of baked goods at one time. Convection ovens also enhance the browning of meats and poultry. Sometimes, the convection and microwave systems are combined into one so that cooking time is greatly reduced.